Portable pile-depositing machine



March 12, 1968 G. LOOPER 3,372,661

' PORTABLE PILE-DEPOSITING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

FIG- I INVENTOK GLENN 00, 52

M Mr Z March 12, 1968 5. LOOPER I PORTABLE PILE-DEPOSITING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1965 INVENTOR. GLEN/v L Ariana 5K5 4 sheets -Sheet 3 -March 12, 1968 G. LOOFER PORTABLE PILE-DEPOSITING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1965 GLEN/V7 LOOPEE BY m WWW 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 G. LOOPER PORTABLE FILE-DEPOSITING MACHINE TQPNE INVENTOR I flew/v Zoo/= 2 March 12, 1968 Filed June 7, 1965 United States Patent 3,372,661 PORTABLE PILE- EPOSITING MACHINE Glenn Looper, Box 76, Dalton, Ga. 30720 Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,948 17 Claims. (Cl. 112-30) This invention relates to a portable pile-depositing machine which employs a reciprocating needle with a novel type of yarn feed. More particularly, it concerns a machine having a frictional yarn feed and having apparatus enabling the operator to change the stroke of the needle at will during reciprocation.

The invention is particularly useful in the carpet-making art, but it may also be used in other phases of the weaving art and in the sewing art. In general it may be used anywhere a change in the stroke of a reciprocating member is desirable during reciprocation. I p

In the carpet-making art, large looms are used to continuously and automatically manufacture carpet. Carpet pile is automatically looped into adjacent openings or interstices of a woven carpet sheet or backing as the sheet continuously travels through the loom. The backing of the rug is then coated with an adhesive to fix the position of the loop with respect to the carpet sheet. If desired, the loops may subsequently be cut at their vertex as required by the desired appearance of the pile face. Occasionally, however, the automatic loom fails to deposit pile in certain areas of the carpet and as the carpet leaves the loom it is consequently defective. The defects extend linearly in the direction of travel of the carpet and are usually not more than one yarn width wide.

In a carpet that contains a pattern made by varying the length of the pile, the defect may extend from an area of high pile into an area of low pile.

The present invention is designed to cure the defect and does the job the automatic loom failed to do. Where a defeet extends from an area of high pile into an area of low pile, the machine'is capable of depositing both high and low pile to conform to the pattern and a switch from one to the other may be made during reciprocation of the needle.

The prior art devices have provided for the deposit of varying pile heights by varying the rate of yarn or pile feed and not by varying the stroke of the reciprocating needle. The rate of yarn feed has been controlled and regulated by varying the tension of the yarn as it feeds from its source. It has also been controlled by variable-speed yarn feed gripping rollers and by variable yarn gripping mechanisms in the reciprocating needle.

The present invention has among it objects:

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine for depositing both high pile and low pile into a carpet sheet;

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine capable of depositing both high and low pile and instantaneously switching from one to the other during the depositing;

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine wherein the needle stroke may be instantaneously changed during reciprocation;

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine wherein ice the change in the needle stroke is instantaneously accomplished and accompanied by an appropriate change in the position of the nose of the machine;

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine having a reciprocating needle wherein the length of the pile loo-p may be varied without the employment of variable yarngripping mechanisms;

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine having a reciprocating needle wherein either high pile or low pile may be deposited without resort to variable-speed yarn-feeding rollers or variable tension devices, and

To provide a portable pile-depositing machine having a reciprocating needle, means for changing the stroke of said needle from a long stroke to a short stroke (and vice versa), and means for adjusting the length of both the short and long strokes. Each of the above objects is fulfilled in the specific embodiment that appears in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carpet being continuously removed from an automatic loom and shows the general method of employment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing successive strokes of the reciprocating needle and the deposit of loops in adjacent interstices of a carpet sheet.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the deposited looped pile, and shows both high and low pile.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a top or plan view of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional "iew taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and shows the yarn guide, its relationship with the reciprocating needle, and the needle-reciprocating mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4. It shows the stroke adjustment linkage oriented to produce a long stroke and the view is taken at the end of the forward long stroke.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 4. It shows the stroke adjustment linkage oriented to produce a short stroke and the view is taken at the end of the short rearward stroke.

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7 and shows the relationship of the needle and nose on the long (forward) stroke.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 8 and shows the short (rearward) stroke. FIG. 10 also shows the nose of the invention in a forward position which is necessary during the short stroke.

An explanation of the detailed construction and operation of the present invention is best understood if preceded by a description of the method of employing the machine and what it is intended to accomplish. That is best understood with reference to FIGS. 1-3. In FIG. 1 the invention appears generally at 20. The invention is guided by operator 21 and he is assisted by operator 22. The car'- pet 23 is paid out in the direction of arrow A from the automatic loom 24 and passes about rollers 25 and 26. The face 23a of carpet 23 is in contact with roller 26 and is exposed to operator 22. The back 23b of carpet 23 is exposed to operator 21. The invention 20 is connected by leads 27 to switch 28. Switch 28 is controlled by operator 22 and changes the stroke of the reciprocating needle of invention 20. An additional switch controlled by operator 21 governs the transmission of power (from a source not shown) for reciprocating the needle of invention 20.

As the carpet 23 travels in the direction of arrow A, operator 21 notes any defects and remedies them by depositing pile into the openings 29 of carpet sheet 30 left void by the automatic loom 24. Operator 22 watches the deposit of pile and adjusts the stroke of the needle so that the pile deposited corresponds in height to the surrounding pile deposited by automatic loom 24. Thus, if defect 31 extends from an area of high pile into an area of low pile, operator 22 varies the stroke of the needle at the appropriate point by operating sWitch 28.

The deposit of pile by the present invention is best understood with reference to FIG. 2 where reciprocating tubular needle 32 has a stroke measured from nose 33 to tip 34 or the distance x. Yarn or pile 35 is axially fed into tubular needle 32 from a source of yarn not shown and after passing through needle 32 it exits at tip 34. Needle 32 is guided first by operator 21 into opening 29a. On its forward stroke in the direction of arrow B, yarn or pile 35 is sharply bent as at 36 over the tip 34 of needle 32 and is frictionally engaged therewith. The frictional engagement is responsible for pulling a distance x of yarn 35 from the source of yarn (not shown) and from the free endof the yarn, as needle 32 completes its forward stroke into opening 29a. On its rearward stroke in the direction of arrow C, needle 32 withdraws from opening 29a but does not correspondingly withdraw yarn 35 because of the large tolerance between yarn 35 and the inside diameter of tubular needle 32. Thus a loop is deposited into opening 29a that may be defined with reference to letters a, b, c, d and e, which represent fixed points on yarn 35.

- Operator 21 then guides needle 32 into adjacent opening 2% and the process is repeated. As needle 32 completes its forward stroke into opening 2%, frictional engagement at 36 draws a length x from the yarn source and also from previously deposited loop abode. The length x drawn from previously deposited loop abode is the portion cde. Thus loop abcde is shortened to loop abc and the distance ab is the height of the looped pile.

Upon withdrawal of needle 32 from opening 29b, loop cdefg is deposited. Needle 32 is then guided into opening 29c and loop cdefg is shortened to loop cde (not shown) as a new loop efghi (not shown) is deposited.

As the length of the stroke x is varied it will be readily seen that the height of the deposited pile will also vary. Thus the invention, when skillfully guided by operator 21 and controlled with respect to stroke by operator 22, deposits high pile y and low pile 2: as shown in FIG. 3.

With that understanding of the method of employing the present invention and What it is intended to accomplish, its detailed construction and operation may be readily understood. The details of the construction include three general functionally related linkages. They are: (1) the drive mechanism for reciprocally driving the needle, (2) the linkage for changing the stroke of the needle during reciprocation, and (3) the associated linkage for changing the position of the nose as the stroke changes. Although the three linkages are themselves linked and functionally related, they may be conveniently described individually.

The drive mechanism The drive mechanism appears best in FIGS. 4-7. Rotational power from a source not shown is linked with drive coupling 37. Coupling 37 is fixed to drive shaft 38, which is mounted for rotational movement in housing 39. Set screw 40 secures drive shaft 38 to vertically positioned beveled gear 41 which is engaged with horizontally positioned beveled gear 42. Beveled gear 42 is mounted for rotational movement on housing 39 by pin 43 and rotates on bearing 44, Gear 45 is concentrically fixed to beveled gear 42 by bolts 46 for rotation therewith. Thus, as drive shaft 38 rotates, gear 45 rotates as shown by arrow D in FIG. 7.

Gear 45 is engaged with crankshaft gear 47 mounted for rotational movement on mounting plate 48 by crankshaft pin 49. Connecting rod pin 50 is eccentrically mounted to. crankshaft gear 47 for rotational engagement with conmeeting rod 51. Connecting rod 51 is pivotally connected to stroke-adjustment guide bracket 52. by pin 53. Bracket 52 is rigidly. secured to stroke-adjustment guide 54 by screws 55.

Stroke-adjustment guide 54 defines slot 56. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, stroke-adjustment guide 54 is rigidly mounted to stroke-adjustment guide block 57 and piston 58 by screws 59. Block 57 and piston 58 are securely and slidably seated in longitudinal track 60 which extends from 60a to 6% and is secured to base 39. Block 57 and piston 58 are slidable in track 60 for a distance equal to the stroke of connecting rod 51. Stroke-adjustment guide 54 therefore reciprocates in track 60 in response to rotation of crankshaft gear 47 as shown by arrow E. The reciprocation is also apparent by comparing FIG. 7 to FIG. 8.

Stroke-adjustment slide 61 rides in slot 56 and is held therein by pin 62, which rigidly secures slide 61 to slotted connecting rod 63. If desired, slide 61 may be keyed to connecting rod 63 to ensure that slide 61 does not pivot with respect to connecting rod 63, since it is essential that the joint be rigid.

A slotted operating rod 64 is pivotally mounted at pin 65 to mounting plate 66 which is secured to base 39. Rod 64 defines operating rod slot 67, which provides a track for operating rod slide 68. Operating rod slide pin 69 pivotally connects operating rod slide 68 with slotted connecting rod 63.

Operating rod slot 67 also serves as a track for operating rod needle slide 70, which is pivotally connected by pin 71 to needle grip 72, as best seen in FIG. 6. A set screw (not shown) grips tubular needle 32 by compressing slotted bushing 74 tightly against needle 32. Operating rod needle slide 70 is pivotally connected to needle block 75 and piston 76 by pin 71. Block 75 and piston 76 reciprocate in longitudinal track 60, which is mounted to base 39.

Tubular needle 32 is gripped at one end by needle grip 72 as previously described, and extends through nose 33, is slidable therein, and terminates at tip 34. Nose 33 is mounted to one end of track 60 by means of nose mounting bracket 7 8..

Tubular needle 32 is reciprocally driven in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 7 by means of rotating drive shaft 38 (FIG. 4). With reference to FIGS. 4 and 7, the rotation is translated through gears 41, 42, 45, and 47 to reciprocate connecting rod 51, stroke-adjustment guide 54, and connecting rod 63. Connecting rod 63 causes operating rod 64 to pivot about pin 65, which reciprocates needle grip 72 and tubular needle 32. During the reciprocation, stroke-adjustment guide block 57 and pieton 58 reciprocate in track 60 along with needle block 75 and piston 76.

Stroke-changing mechanism The linkage for changing the stroke of tubular needle 32 is best understood with reference to FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. The mechanism includes a solenoid 79 mounted to housing 39 by means of mounting brackets 80. Solenoid plunger 81 is pivotally connected to coupling 82. Short stroke-adjusting bolt 83 is pivotally fixed to coupling 82 by a rotatable connection to block 84 which is pivotally connected to coupling 82 by pin 86. Bolt 83 is threadably engaged with boss 85a of stroke-adjustment lever 85. Knob 87 is fixed to adjusting bolt 83. Stroke-adjustment lever 85 is pivotally mounted to mounting plate 48 by bolt 88 and spaced therefrom by bushing 89. As plunger 81 is extended and withdrawn, stroke-adjustment lever 85 pivots about screw 88 as shown by arrow G in FIG. 8.

Stroke-adjustment lever 85 is pivotally and slidably connected to connecting rod 63 by pin 90, which rides in slot 91 as connecting rod 63 reciprocates.

Long stroke-adjusting bolt 92 is threadably engaged with mounting bracket 93, which is rigidly secured to mounting plate 48. Long stroke-adjusting bolt 92 is aligned with stroke-adjustment lever 85 (i.e., it lies in the plane in which stroke-adjustment lever 85 pivots) and has knob 94 fixed to one end. Nut 95 is provided and, when tightened against bracket 93, prevents rotation of adjusting bolt 92. A similar nut 95 is provided with bolt 83.

As solenoid 79 is operated, solenoid plunger 81 is either extended as shown in FIG. 5 or Withdrawn as.

shown in FIG. 8. The withdrawn position is fixed by the solenoid itself. The extended position is fixed by long stroke-adjusting bolt 92, which abuts an edge of strokeadjusting lever 85 as shown in FIG. 5, and prevents further extension of plunger 81. The withdrawal and extension of solenoid plunger 81 pivots stroke-adjustment lever 85 about bolt 88 as shown by arrow G in FIG. 8.

As stroke-adjustment lever 85 pivots, it slides connecting rod 63v on slide 61 in the direction of arrow G and changes the position of operating rod slide 68 in oper' ating rod slot 67. Thus operating rod slide 68 may be positioned to produce a long stroke as in FIG. or to produce a short stroke as in FIG. 8. The change in the needle stroke is directly related to the change in the lever arm from operating rod slide pin 69 to operating rod pin 65.

The length of the short and long strokes (to be distinguished from the change from long to short stroke, or vice versa) may be adjusted by short stroke-adjusting bolt 83 and by long stroke adjusting bolt 92, respectively. As short stroke-adjusting bolt 83 is rotated, it varies the distance from coupling bracket 82 to stroke-adjusting lever 85. Thus, in the fixed withdrawn position of plunger 81, the position of operating rod slide 68 may be varied in operating rod slot 67 to thereby adjust the length of the short stroke. As long stroke-adjusting bolt 92 is rotated, the point at which stroke-adjustment lever 85 is stopped in its pivotal movement varies. Thus the length of the lever arm from operating slide pin 69 to operating rod pin 65 is adjusted to vary the length of the long stroke.

Operator 22 extends or withdraws solenoid plunger 81 through the use of switch 28, which positions strokeadjustment lever 85 in either the shortor long-stroke position. Thus, as the carpet pile height changes, the pile height deposited by the invention may also be changed.

Nose position mechanism As the stroke of needle 32 is changed by stroke-adjustment lever 85 and its associated linkages, it becomes necessary to vary the position of nose 33. Nose 33 must be positioned so that at the end of the rearward stroke of needle 32, tip 34 is completely withdrawn into nose 33 and hidden therein to ensure a complete withdrawal of needle 32 from the carpet sheet opening. Without a complete Withdrawal, the needle cannot be smoothly guided to an adjacent opening for depositing a looped pile therein.

When the stroke is changed from a long stroke to a short stroke, for example, the traverse of tip 34 is decreased equally at the end of the forward and rearward stroke. Thus, it is necessary to change the position of nose 33 to correspond with the decrease at the end of the rearward stroke to ensure a complete withdrawal of tip 34.

The nose position mechanism is best seen in FIGS. 5, Q

6 and 8. It includes stop 97 fixed to stroke-adjustment lever 85 and stop 97 moves arcuately as stroke-adjustment lever 85 is pivoted. Nose position lever 98 is pivotally mounted to mounting plate 66 by bolt 99 and is spaced therefrom by bushing 100 (see FIG. 4). Its rearward pivot is stopped by stop 97 and it, extends beyond stop 97, terminating above track 60 in the plane of the reciprocal movement of carriage 101.

Carriage 101 is mounted for reciprocal movement in channel 102 of housing 39 and is linked with nose 33 by connecting rod 103. Carriage 101 is designed with step 104, which provides a recessed mounting surface for carriage stop screw 105 and bushing 106. Thus, the rearward movement of carriage 101 and, as a result, the rearward movement of nose 103, is stopped by nose position lever 98. The position of lever 98 is controlled by stop 97 as it moves in the direction of arrow G. Thus, when stroke-adjustment lever 85 is in the long-stroke position, nose position lever 98 is in the position shown in FIG. 5. When stroke-adjustment lever 85 is in the short-stroke 8 position, the rearward pivot of nose position lever 98 is restricted to the position shown in FIG. 8 and nose 33 takes a position as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10.

Carriage 101 contains yarn guide 107 which extends concentrically into needle 32 for a distance greater than the stroke of needle 32. The inside diameter of yarn guide 107 is chosen to frictionally engage yarn 35, and therefore has a dimension which is substantially less than the maximum transverse dimension of the yarn 35. The outside diameter of tubular yarn guide 35 is slidably accommodated the inside diameter of tubular needle 32.

Before describing the operation of the present invention, two additional structural details remain to be pointed r out. Housing 39 contains handle 108*which houses trigger switch 109. Trigger switch leads 110 are connected to the source of power (not shown) which connects with drive coupling 37 to rotate drive shaft 38. Thus the reciprocation of the needle may be controlled by operator 21.

Nose wheels 111 may be provided, though nonessential, to ride on a fixed horizontal shelf (not shown) as the machine is operated. Thus the machine may be partially supported (thereby alleviating the task of operator 21) in a fixed position as carpet 23- moves in the direction of arrow A.

The machine is prepared for operation by feeding yarn into and through yarn guide 107, through tubular needle 32, and out tip 34. Solenoid 79 is connected to switch 28 by means of connector 112. Trigger switch 109 is connected to the power source (not shown) for driving drive shaft 38 by means of connector 113. Trigger switch 109 is depressed by operator 21 as he guides needle 32 appropriately. Power supplied to coupling 37 causes a reciprocation of needle 32 as previously described. Operator 22 watches the pile height on the face 23:: of carpet 23. As the pile height changes, he changes the stroke of needle 32 by operating switch 28, which controls the position of solenoid plunger 81 and stroke-adjustment lever 85. Thus the stroke-change mechanism and the associated nose position mechanism are operated to produce a short or long stroke in needle 32. On the forward stroke of needle 32, yarn 35 is sharply bent at tip 34 and is frictionally engaged therewith. A length of yarn'is therefore pulled through yarn guide 35 from the source of yarn (not shown) equal to the forward stroke of needle 32. A similar length is pulled from the free end or the previously deposited loop as already described. On its rearward stroke yarn 35 is held against rearward movement by yarn guide 107 in which yarn 35 is frictionally engaged. Thus the machine operates to quickly and efficiently reposit loop pile until defect 31 is filled and operator 2 1 releases trigger switch 109.

The specific embodiment shown may be varied in de sign without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in each case in which a slot and slide is utilized in the specific embodiment, a track and grip slidab'le thereon may be used. In other words, the males'female relationship of the slidahle joint may be reversed from that shown. Other similar changes may also be made with the exercise of mere mechanical skill by those skilled in the art.

Although the invention has been described in the context of a portable mechanism, a larger'and unportable machine having the mechanical characteristics of the present invention may find application. Such a machine is contemplated and intended to be Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a pile-depositing machine having a housing, a reciprocating needle and a' longitudinal axis defined by the axis of reciprocation of said needle, apparatus for changing the stroke of said needle which comprises:

(a) a stroke-adjustment lever pivo-tally mounted to said housing and means for pivoting said lever in a direction transverse to said axis;

(b) a stroke-adjustment guide mounted to said housing for reciprocal movement in the direction of said axis;

(c) a stroke-adjustment slide mounted to said strokeadjustment guide for reciprocal movement in a direction transverse to said axis;

((1). a connecting rod fixed to said stroke-adjustment slide and extending therefrom in the direction of said axis;

(e). a connecting rod slide mounted to said connecting rod for reciprocal movement in the direction of said axis, said connecting rod slide piv-otally connecting said connecting rod to said stroke-adjustment lever;

(f) an operating lever mounted to said housing for pivotal movement in the direction of said axis;

(g) an operating lever slide mounted to said operating lever for radial reciprocation therein, said operating lever slide being connected to said connecting rod;

(h) an operating slide mounted to said operating lever for radial reciprocal movement therein and for reciprocal movement parallel to said axis, said operating slide being pivotally connected to said needle,

(i) a nose on said housing, said needle extending through said. nose and being slidable therein, and

(j) means for reciprocally driving said troke-adjustment guide in the direction of said axis.

2. The pile-depositing machine of claim 1 wherein said means for pivoting said stroke-adjustment lever comprises: a solenoid mounted to said housing, the plunger of said solenoid being connected to said lever.

3. The pile-depositing machine of claim 1 wherein said needle is tubular and has an input end at said operating rod slide, and a yarn guide extending into said needle at said input end to thereby guide yarn into said needle.

4. The pile-depositing machine of claim 3 wherein the inside diameter of said yarn guide i such that the passage therethrough of said yarn is restricted.

5. The pile-depositing machine of claim 2 and means for axially adjusting the position of said plunger with respect to said stroke-adjustment lever.

6. The pile-depositing machine of claim 2 and adjustable means mounted to said housing for stopping the pivotal movement. of said stroke-adjustment lever.

7. The pile-depositing machine of claim 2 and means for axially adjusting the position of said plunger with respect to said stroke-adjustment lever and adjustable means mounted to said housing for stopping the pivotal movement of said stroke-adjustment lever.

8. The pile-depositing machine of claim 1 and associated apparatus for changing the position of aid nose as the stroke of said needle changes, which comprises:

(a) a nose mounting bracket mounted to said housing and slidably mounting said nose therein, said nose being slidable in said mounting in the direction of said axis, said needle extending through said nose and being slidable therein in the direction of said axis; and

(b) means for fixing the position of said nose in a forward position during said short stroke and in a rearward position during said long stroke.

9. A pile-depositing machine which comprises:

(a) a housing;

(b) a tubular needle mounted for reciprocal movement on a longitudinal axis;

(c) a guide track spaced from said axis and parallel thereto mounted to said base;

((1) a stroke-adjustment lever pivotally mounted to said base for pivotal movement in a direction transverse to said axis;

(e) a solenoid mounted to said base, the plunger of said solenoid being positioned transversely to said axis and pivotally connected to said stroke-adjustment lever;

(i) a stroke-adjustment guide mounted to said guide track for reciprocation therein;

(g) a stroke-adjustment slide mounted to said strokeadjustment guide for reciprocation in a direction transverse to said axis;

(h) a connecting rod fixed to said stroke-adjustment slide and extending therefrom in a direction parallel to said axis;

(i) a connecting rod slide mounted to said connecting rod for reciprocation in a direction parallel to said axis, said connecting rod slide pivotally connecting said connecting rod to said stroke-adjustment lever;

(j) an operating lever mounted to said base and extending transversely of said axis for pivotal movement in the direction of said axis;

(k) an operating lever slide mounted to said operating lever for radial reciprocation therein, said operating lever slide being connected to said connecting rod;

(1) an Operating slide mounted to said operating lever for radial reciprocation therein and to said guide track for reciprocation therein, said operating slide being pivotally connected to said needle;

(m) a nose mounted to said base for reciprocation in a direction parallel to said axis;

(u) said needle extending through said nose and being slidable therein;

(0) a yarn guide carriage mounted to said base for reciprocation in a direction parallel to said axis;

(p) a tubular yarn guide secured to said carriage and extending into said tubular needle tor reciprocation therein;

(q) means for connecting said nose with said carriage;

(r) a nose position lever pivotally mounted to said housing, extending transversely of said axis, and terminating beyond said guide track in the path of reciprocation of said carriage;

(s) a nose position lever stop mounted to said strokeadjustment lever, thereby stopping movement of said nose position lever and said carriage in a rearward direction; and

(t) means for reciprocally driving said stroke-adjustment guide in the direction of said axis.

10. The machine of claim 9 and means for axially adjusting the position of said plunger with respect to said stroke-adjustment lever.

11. The machine of claim 9 and adjustable means mounted to said housing for stopping the pivotal movement of said stroke-adjustment lever.

12. The machine of claim 9 and means for axially adjusting the position of said plunger with respect to said stroke-adjustment lever and adjustable means mounted to said housing for stopping the pivotal movement of said stroke-adjustment lever as said lever pivots in a direction away from said solenoid.

13. Apparatus for feeding yarn through a reciprocating tubular needle which comprises:

(a) a needle, means to reciprocate said needle, and

(b) a stationary yarn guide disposed concentrically within said needle, said yarn guide having an outside diameter slidably accommodated by the inside diameter of said needle and an inside diameter adapted to trictionally engage yarn being fed therethrough.

14. Apparatus for feeding yarn through a reciprocating tubular needle which comprises:

(a) a needle, means .for reciprocating said needle to thereby define a stroke, and

(b) a stationary yarn guide disposed concentrically and extending within said needle for a distance greater than said stroke, said yarn guide having an outside diameter slidably accommodated by the inside diam eter of said needle and an inside diameter substantially less than the maximum transverse dimension of yarn being fed therethrough.

15. Apparatus for feeding yarn through a reciprocating tubular needle which comprises:

(a) a needle, means for reciprocating said needle to thereby define a stroke, and

(b) a yarn guide disposed concentrically and extending within said needle for a distance greater than said stroke, said yarn guide having an outside diameter slidably accommodated by the inside diameter of said needle and an inside diameter substantially less than the maximum transverse dimension of said yarn;

(c) said apparatus being adapted to receive yarn extending through said yarn guide and said needle.

16. A method for feeding yarn through a tubular needle which comprises:

(a) feeding said yarn through a stationary tubular yarn guide and frictionally engaging said yarn therewith;

(b) feeding said yarn from said yarn guide, through said needle and from the tip thereof;

(c) reciprocating said needle to thereby define a for- Ward and rearward stroke; and

(d) bending said yarn about said tip during said forward stroke to thereby pull a length of said yarn through said yarn guide.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said length of said 5 yarn is equal to the length of said forward stroke.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sperling 112--80 Westcott 112-80 Rose 112-80 Schauer 112-80 Elliott et a1 112--80 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Examiner. 

